Chapter 7: Not a hero but a survivor

Fortunately, even with this obscurity Suspicious is easily spotted.

In this darkness, his flaming hair is a red dot particularly striking.

Finding him so easily despite the situation, is really a blessing. Because of this, Dust decide that he will dye his hair if he survives past today.

What great taste this man have!

Not willing to lose time, the boy run toward the red haired man, bypassing everyone else.

No matter what he must stay close from Suspicious, the key must not be lost.

As long as he know where the key is he has a chance of survival.

Of course now they aren't that far from the closed door, and Suspicious should escape toward it and not backtrack. But knowing this logic is one thing, while being   willing to take the risk of losing sight of his only hope is another.

Behind him, Follower still beg for help.

-Don't leave me alone, Please!

Dust doesn't stop, and brushes past the snobbish women . Like him Princess run toward the tunnel who will take them to the closed door.

Follower's plea is ignored for the second time.

She cries and rage, seeing no one coming. 

IIIING

Recognizing the familiar noise of a pickaxe scraping the ground while being dragged he bends forward fast without thinking. He shivers.

The wind whistles and the pickaxe hit the stone.

When he raise his head, Dust realise that this time it wasn't him who was targeted while watching the pale face of Purple-belly in front .

By a struck of luck, the black cloud missed its shot.

-Let's go!

Pony's thunderous voice reverberates in the tunnel , and with it the saleman regain courage, his determined round eyes look at the path ahead.  After a second,  he turn his body to face the room he left. and brandish his lamp torch.

 He walk backward  while watching the room with the lockers thus imitating Pony's position.

Dust retract his gaze and reach Suspicious.

The man doesn't pay attention  to him, and without any care for the rest of the group either run forward.  

Pony and Purple-belly courageously  block the dark smoke but Princess who has meanwhile slipped past them, Old-man, Dust and Suspicious leave them without helping.

Trying to go as far as they can in case  this human barrier give in.

-ATTENTION!

The boy doesn't look back when he hear Purple-belly, nor does he stop running next to Suspicious.

But by the clattering noise, and the sound of stone hitting the ground, he can guess.

Now the black cloud throw the boxes full of blue stones to the two humans blocking him.

The tunnel is narrow, only two person can run alongside each other.

The man and Dust are the fastest. Out of the corner of his eyes, the boy can see the face of the snobbish women  and after her the old-man try to keep up but with his leg he can only fall behind.

Because of this even if Pony and Purple-belly walk they  aren't that far away from him and soon he is forced to give a hand  and keep the monster at bay.

Dust bite his lips. His heart feel heavy and sink with guilt.Like a stone thrown in the water.

It's clear to him. He isn't a hero, he isn't powerful and certainly he want to live.

He has given up Follower. He didn't try to help. He could have tried and maybe he would have succeeded.

He can stop his steps and try to help those behind and  resist the black cloud.

They can all stop their track and protect each other. 

But he won't.

The terrorized cry of Follower under the fallen shelves is still ringing in his ears.

And he hopes that there will be no more people dead like One or people left to themselve like Follower.

But more than that, he want to live.

If someone has to die, Ah he'd rather someone else die.

Others can sacrifice themselves. 

He is aware that he is… that he doesn't mind that much.

He has some empathy,  and he can help if he is almost sure it won't put him in danger. For instance, he did carry One until the other draw his last breath.

However, he isn't paralyzed by the fact someone died.

He is sure that  his guilt will be soon gone because his other emotions are more powerful than this one. Fear and determination boil his blood leaving no place for regrets.

He could have tried. Yes and he could have died too.

He is not responsible for Follower.

And he is not responsible for Pony, Purple-belly and Old-man.

 And without his memories, they are no more than stranger.

Of course, if they don't see the light bulb they encountered  when choosing the left tunnel at the beginning before the black cloud slip past them, he will have to help the trio. But as long as they manage to hold on to the creature, he will try to go as far as possible.

Here, he is discovering his personality.

He is aware that if he has time to admire the hair of Suspicious while he ignore Follower's plea it must mean, that he isn't … a good person.

On this thought, his feet hit hard the ground.

Dust and Suspicious accelerate, both so fast that they already see the faint light of the light bulb. And Suprisingly enough, Two is there alive and well. Waiting for them, with a relieved glint in his eyes. The light hitting his glasses in a dagional line.

Behind them, they can hear the pants of the others and the growl of the fog.

They are still here.

Dust's right hand tighten his hold on the torch, The light pain that he feels make him frown.

Cramp? 

No, it isn't a cramp. The pain isn't the same.

The ache is bearable but  with time the pain is more and more difficult to ignore.

But It doesn't matter. 

His feet enter the circle of light, then his tight and after that his whole body come under this bright protection.

With a dark smile, he turn back.

And light up the four other people behind him with his flashlight.

He may survive this !